The Wilson’s snipe (Gallinago delicata) and the Common snipe (Gallinago gallinago) are two similar species of wading birds in the family Scolopacidae. They can be difficult to distinguish and are often confused with each other. However, there are some key differences in their appearance, habitat, distribution and behavior. In this article, we will explore the differences between these two species in detail.
Appearance
Wilson’s snipe and Common snipe are very similar in overall appearance, but some subtle differences exist.
Size
The Wilson’s snipe is slightly smaller, measuring 25–28 cm in length with a 38–41 cm wingspan. The Common snipe is 27–30 cm long with a 45–48 cm wingspan.
Bill
Both species have a long, straight dark bill used for probing in mud to find food. However, the Common snipe’s bill is slightly longer than the Wilson’s snipe.
Plumage
The plumage of both species is cryptic, helping them blend into their wetland habitats. The overall coloration is brown, black and buff.
However, the Common snipe has more streaking and barring on its upperparts and breast than the Wilson’s snipe. The Wilson’s snipe tends to be more sandy-brown overall, with fine streaks on the back and almost no streaking on the breast.
Tail feathers
One of the best ways to tell the two species apart is by their outer tail feathers. On the Wilson’s snipe, the outer tail feathers are solidly colored. On the Common snipe, the outer tail feathers have white bands.
Habitat
Both Wilson’s and Common snipe utilize wetland habitats, but have some differences in their preferred environments.
Wilson’s snipe
Wilson’s snipe breed mostly in bogs, fens and wet meadows from Alaska across Canada to Newfoundland and south throughout the western mountains and eastern North America. They primarily overwinter in coastal marshes and swamps in southeastern US and Mexico.
On migration and in winter, they also use flooded agricultural fields and other wetlands.
Common snipe
Common snipe breed in wet meadows, bogs and marshes across northern Eurasia. They overwinter mainly in coastal marshlands around the Mediterranean and Africa.
They have a greater tolerance for drier habitats than Wilson’s snipe. In migration and winter, Common snipe frequent drier grasslands, flooded fields and marsh edges.
Distribution
The ranges of these two similar snipe species only overlap in a few areas due to their distinct distributions.
Wilson’s snipe
Wilson’s snipe breed across Canada and Alaska, throughout the western mountains and across the northeastern US. Their range extends from the Aleutian Islands in the west to Newfoundland in the east.
They migrate south to overwinter along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the US, Mexico and down into northern South America.
Common snipe
Common snipe occupy a distribution centered on northern Eurasia. They breed across northern Europe and Asia. Their overwintering range stretches from the Mediterranean coast across Africa.
There is a small overlap zone where both species occur in eastern Canada, Alaska and the Aleutians. Rare vagrant Common snipe may occur elsewhere in North America.
Behavior
Wilson’s and Common snipe share some behavioral traits but also have some key differences.
Foraging
Both species predominantly probe in soft mud to find food, mainly invertebrates. They use their long bills to search for worms, insect larvae, crustaceans and other prey items buried in the mud.
Nesting
Wilson’s and Common snipe both nest on the ground in concealed locations in wet habitats. The nest is a shallow depression lined with leaves, grass or moss. Females of both species lay 4 eggs on average.
Displays
The most famous behavior of snipe species is their winnowing display flights. During these aerial displays, the snipe dives and ascends at an angle, causing its tail feathers to vibrate and produce a characteristic fluttering, “winnowing” sound.
Both Wilson’s and Common perform winnowing displays, but differences exist. Wilson’s snipe winnows mainly on dusk, whereas Common snipe may do so throughout the day. Also, Common snipe dives at a steeper angle (60-90 degrees) compared to the more shallow 40-60 degree dive of Wilson’s.
Migration
Both species are migratory, traveling between northern breeding areas and more southern wintering grounds. However, Wilson’s snipe undertakes a much longer transit overall between its North American breeding and wintering areas.
Trait | Wilson’s snipe | Common snipe |
---|---|---|
Length | 25-28 cm | 27-30 cm |
Wingspan | 38-41 cm | 45-48 cm |
Bill length | Shorter | Longer |
Plumage | More sandy brown, less streaked | More streaked and barred |
Tail feathers | Outer feathers solid | Outer feathers barred |
Breeding habitat | Bogs, fens, wet meadows | Wet meadows, bogs, marshes |
Winter habitat | Coastal marshes, swamps | Coastal marshes, drier grasslands |
Breeding range | Canada, Alaska, Western and Northeastern US | Northern Eurasia |
Winter range | SE US, Mexico, N. South America | Mediterranean, Africa |
Foraging | Probes mud for invertebrates | Probes mud for invertebrates |
Nesting | Ground nest in wet sites | Ground nest in wet sites |
Display flights | Winnows at dusk, 40-60° dives | Winnows during day, 60-90° dives |
Migration | Long distance in North America | Shorter distance in Eurasia |
Identification tips
To quickly identify whether a snipe you encounter is likely to be a Wilson’s or Common, look for these key features:
Wilson’s snipe
– Smaller in size
– Shorter bill
– Lacks streaking on breast
– Outer tail feathers not barred
– Sandy brown overall plumage
– Found in North America
Common snipe
– Slightly larger
– Longer bill
– Heavily streaked breast
– Outer tail feathers barred black and white
– More streaked plumage overall
– Found in Eurasia
Listen for differences in winnowing flight – Wilson’s snipe at lower 40-60 degree angles, Common snipe 60-90 degrees.
Conclusion
In summary, Wilson’s and Common snipe occupy similar ecological niches but on separate continents. Subtle differences in size, plumage, tail feathers, bill length and display behaviors can help distinguish these two cryptic species. Familiarity with their distinct ranges in North America versus Eurasia is also key. Both are fascinating waders adapted to probe muddy wetland habitats. Understanding the nuances between these two species takes practice, but close inspection of key identification features provides the best clues to tell them apart.